Elders Workshop
January 16, 2027
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Red Bud
508 Bloom St. Red Bud, IL 62278
January 30, 2027
Trinity Lutheran Ministries, Edwardsville
600 Water St. Edwardsville, IL 62025
The Southern Illinois District is excited to present this new opportunity designed for all pastors and elders to come and hear from District leaders about what the role of an elder is, how to navigate important issues, and what steps you can take to support your church workers and congregation. Gather early for check-in/registration, then begin the day with the Order of Matins surrounded by fellow elders and pastors from across our District. Then hear President Curtis give the keynote before dividing up for breakout sessions. The day includes lunch and concludes with a closing devotion about 2pm.
Choose from eight sessions to attend for three breakout opportunities. (Scroll below or click here to read about all the great presentations.)
Participants receive the same program at both locations, simply choose the location that works best for your pastor(s) and elders.
Registration
There is a small fee of $15 per person, which is merely to cover lunch fees. (We don’t want the price to be a barrier to anyone.) Please register in advance for this event, so that we can have a headcount for lunch. Each person attending should have their own registration. Register by clicking the button below.
Keynote Address
Hear from Southern Illinois District President Heath Curtis present on “The Lay Elder in the Lutheran Church”.
Your congregation has entrusted you with a task that is vital to the Church and her Ministry. President Curtis will explore the history, duties, challenges, joys, expectations, and best practices of being part of a very special band of brothers: elders in a Confessional Lutheran congregation.
Rev. Heath Curtis serves as the District President for Southern Illinois since being elected in 2025. He has served the church for many years, including as the Coordinator for Stewardship at Synod (2013-2025) and in suburban and rural churches. President Curtis has translated many works and published many books which most recently include Five Things You Can Do to Live a Jesus-Centered Life (CPH); Stewardship Under the Cross: Stewardship for Confessional Lutheran Parishes (lcms.org/stewardship); Stewardship for the Care of Souls (Lexham Press with co-author Nathan Meador); Telling People What to Think: A Concise Homiletics for Lutheran Parish Pastors (amazon.com); and The Small Town Lutheran Church and Pastor (amazon.com). He and his wife Rebekah have been blessed with eight children.
Breakout Sessions
In addition to the Keynote Address, participants can choose between eight breakout sessions. Click here for full presentation description and speaker information.
Session 1 “Pastors and Elders Working Together to Form Stewards” by Rev. Dr. Wayne Knolhoff
Session 2 “Leadership – Vitality – Wellness” by Rev. Jonathan & Tiffany Manor
Session 3 “Sheep Judge their Shepherds” by Rev. Benjamin Ball
Session 4 “Right-sizing Church Leadership for the Size of the Congregation” by Rev. Dr. David Peter
Session 5 “The Elder in Worship” by President Curtis
Session 6 “Close(d) Communion: Pastor and Elders as a Team” by Rev. Timothy Sims
Session 7 (for January 16) “Spiritual Care Skills” by Rev. Dr. David Schultz
Session 7 (for January 30) “Worship Whys and Wherefores” by Rev. Will Weedon
Session 8 “How to Shepherd the Lost Sheep (Saving Inactive Members)” by Rev. Michael Walther
Schedule
8:00am Registration
8:30am Matins
9:15 am Keynote Address
10:15am Breakout A
11:15am Breakout B
12:00pm Meal Break
1:00pm Breakout C
2:00pm Closing Devotion
Questions?
If you have additional questions about the day, reach out to our offices at 618-234-4767 or siddpaa@gmail.com.